A Scoping Review on Military Airway Studies.

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Emergency Medicine
• Trauma Care

Background:

• Airway compromise presents a critical, life-threatening challenge on the battlefield.
• Effective airway management is essential for reducing preventable deaths in combat settings.
• This review synthesizes current literature on battlefield airway interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize existing literature on airway management strategies used in deployed combat environments.
• To identify common airway interventions and their reported outcomes in the context of military operations.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted adhering to the PRISMA-ScR checklist.
• Literature search spanned 2001-2025 in PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on the Global War On Terrorism era.
• Studies reporting on airway interventions in combat settings were included.

Main Results:

• Thirty studies met inclusion criteria, evaluating endotracheal intubation (ETI), cricothyrotomy, and supraglottic airways.
• ETI was the most frequently reported procedure, primarily performed by medical officers.
• Cricothyrotomy had lower incidence but higher complication rates; training and technology gaps were identified.

Conclusions:

• Standardized airway protocols and enhanced training are vital for improving survival rates in combat casualties.
• Addressing identified gaps in training, documentation, and equipment access is critical.
• While ETI is common, variable success rates for cricothyrotomy and supraglottic airways necessitate further optimization.